Went the Day Well?: Difference between revisions
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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During the [[Second World War]] a group of [[British army|British]] soldiers arrive in the small, fictitious [[England |English]] village of "Bramley End". At first they are welcomed by the villagers, until doubts begin to grow about their true identity and purpose. When it is discovered that they are in reality disguised [[Nazi Germany|German]] soldiers intended to form the vanguard of a German invasion of England, the occupants of the village are rounded up and held prisoner in the local church. They attempt to escape to warn the local [[British Home Guard|Home Guard]] |
During the [[Second World War]] a group of [[British army|British]] soldiers arrive in the small, fictitious [[England |English]] village of "Bramley End". At first they are welcomed by the villagers, until doubts begin to grow about their true identity and purpose. When it is discovered that they are in reality disguised [[Nazi Germany|German]] soldiers intended to form the vanguard of a German invasion of England, the occupants of the village are rounded up and held prisoner in the local church. They attempt to escape to warn the local [[British Home Guard|Home Guard]], but are betrayed by the village [[squire]], who is revealed to be a German [[spy]]. Eventually one of the villagers succeeds in escaping and alerting the army. British soldiers arrive and a gun battle ensues in which the Germans are defeated. |
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The film is set in the future after the war and told in flashback by a villager (Mervyn Johns) sitting in the [[churchyard]] where the German soldiers are buried. This, he explains, "is the only piece of English soil the Germans ever captured." |
The film is set in the future after the war and told in flashback by a villager (Mervyn Johns) sitting in the [[churchyard]] where the German soldiers are buried. This, he explains, "is the only piece of English soil the Germans ever captured." |
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==Opening |
==Opening quote as per the film == |
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Went the day well?<br> |
Went the day well?<br> |
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The correct wording would appear to be “Went the day well? We died and never knew, But well or ill, '''England''', we died for you.” |
The correct wording would appear to be “Went the day well? We died and never knew, But well or ill, '''England''', we died for you.” |
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The verse is anonymous. The “original” appears in an unidentified newspaper cutting in a scrapbook now held in the [[RAF]] museum (AC97/127/50)and in a book called “Voices of Silence” being a collection of [[World War I|first world]] war poems put together by Vivian Noakes |
The verse is anonymous. The “original” appears in an unidentified newspaper cutting in a scrapbook now held in the [[RAF]] museum (AC97/127/50)and in a book called “Voices of Silence” being a collection of [[World War I|first world]] war poems put together by Vivian Noakes. The poems appear in chronological order and this appears under the heading “Verdun, The Battle of the Somme begins.” (Sutton Publishing 2006 ISBN 0-7509-4521-4) |
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==Reception== |
==Reception== |
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The film went into production at a time when [[ |
The film went into production at a time when the [[United Kingdom]] was still under threat of invasion from [[Nazi Germany]], and reinforced the message that civilians should be vigilant and that "careless talk costs lives". It was based on a short story by the author [[Graham Greene]] entitled ''The Lieutenant Died Last'' and, along with films like ''[[In Which We Serve]]'', is credited with bringing more realism into British [[propaganda]] films. By the time the film was released the threat of invasion had subsided somewhat, but it was still seen as an effective piece of propaganda, and its reputation has grown over the years. It has been noted that by opening in a predicted future where the war had been won, and in presenting a scenario where all echelons of British society unite for the common good (the lady of the manor sacrifices herself without pause, for example), the film's message was morale-boosting and positive rather than scaremongering. |
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In 2005 it was named as one of the "100 Greatest War Films" in a [[Channel 4]] poll in [[UK|Britain]]. The 1976 film ''[[The Eagle Has Landed]]'' uses some of the same ideas. |
In 2005 it was named as one of the "100 Greatest War Films" in a [[Channel 4]] poll in [[UK|Britain]]. The 1976 film ''[[The Eagle Has Landed]]'' uses some of the same ideas. |
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The film includes the first major role of [[Thora Hird]]. |
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* {{imdb title|id=0035429|title=Went the Day Well?}} |
* {{imdb title|id=0035429|title=Went the Day Well?}} |
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Revision as of 13:05, 18 May 2007
| Went the Day Well? | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Alberto Cavalcanti |
| Written by | Graham Greene (story) John Dighton Angus MacPhail Diana Morgan |
| Produced by | Michael Balcon |
| Starring | Leslie Banks Mervyn Johns Basil Sydney C.V. France Valerie Taylor Thora Hird David Farrar |
| Music by | William Walton |
| Distributed by | Ealing |
Release date | 1942 |
Running time | 92 m |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Went the Day Well? is a British war film produced by Ealing Studios in 1942.
Plot
Template:Spoiler During the Second World War a group of British soldiers arrive in the small, fictitious English village of "Bramley End". At first they are welcomed by the villagers, until doubts begin to grow about their true identity and purpose. When it is discovered that they are in reality disguised German soldiers intended to form the vanguard of a German invasion of England, the occupants of the village are rounded up and held prisoner in the local church. They attempt to escape to warn the local Home Guard, but are betrayed by the village squire, who is revealed to be a German spy. Eventually one of the villagers succeeds in escaping and alerting the army. British soldiers arrive and a gun battle ensues in which the Germans are defeated.
The film is set in the future after the war and told in flashback by a villager (Mervyn Johns) sitting in the churchyard where the German soldiers are buried. This, he explains, "is the only piece of English soil the Germans ever captured."
Opening quote as per the film
Went the day well?
We died and never knew
But, well or ill.
Freedom, we died for you
Went the day well?
The correct wording would appear to be “Went the day well? We died and never knew, But well or ill, England, we died for you.”
The verse is anonymous. The “original” appears in an unidentified newspaper cutting in a scrapbook now held in the RAF museum (AC97/127/50)and in a book called “Voices of Silence” being a collection of first world war poems put together by Vivian Noakes. The poems appear in chronological order and this appears under the heading “Verdun, The Battle of the Somme begins.” (Sutton Publishing 2006 ISBN 0-7509-4521-4)
Reception
The film went into production at a time when the United Kingdom was still under threat of invasion from Nazi Germany, and reinforced the message that civilians should be vigilant and that "careless talk costs lives". It was based on a short story by the author Graham Greene entitled The Lieutenant Died Last and, along with films like In Which We Serve, is credited with bringing more realism into British propaganda films. By the time the film was released the threat of invasion had subsided somewhat, but it was still seen as an effective piece of propaganda, and its reputation has grown over the years. It has been noted that by opening in a predicted future where the war had been won, and in presenting a scenario where all echelons of British society unite for the common good (the lady of the manor sacrifices herself without pause, for example), the film's message was morale-boosting and positive rather than scaremongering.
In 2005 it was named as one of the "100 Greatest War Films" in a Channel 4 poll in Britain. The 1976 film The Eagle Has Landed uses some of the same ideas.
The film includes the first major role of Thora Hird.
References
- Houston, Penelope. 1992. Went the Day Well? London: BFI
- Went the Day Well? at IMDb